


Treading the Boards

by AirgiodSLV



Series: 28 Lotrips AUs Challenge [15]
Category: The Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-05-01
Updated: 2006-05-01
Packaged: 2019-07-20 12:40:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16137440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AirgiodSLV/pseuds/AirgiodSLV
Summary: “My darling,” Dom cries dramatically. “I do love when we playMerchant, it means I get to see you in that dress. Although,” he adds roguishly, “I would rather prefer to see you out of it.”





	Treading the Boards

**Author's Note:**

> AU #10, for [](https://magickalmolly.livejournal.com/profile)[magickalmolly](https://magickalmolly.livejournal.com/). Thanks to [](https://ipso--facto.livejournal.com/profile)[ipso__facto](https://ipso--facto.livejournal.com/) for the prompt.

Dominic’s tunic is torn, but it’s ten minutes until the curtain, so he jabs a needle through in a hasty fix and bites off the thread. He’s out of the dressing room a second later, nearly running full-on into Elijah, who is fixing his wig with an expression that bodes ill for anyone who steps on his toes in performance tonight.

“My darling,” Dom cries dramatically. “I do love when we play _Merchant_ , it means I get to see you in that dress. Although,” he adds roguishly, “I would rather prefer to see you out of it.”

Elijah’s eyebrows lift slightly, unimpressed. “Three pennies and you can have it, same as any other night,” he says dismissively, finally untangling the dark strands falling over his shoulders. “But I’d be amazed if you ever had them to rub together.”

“I could rub something else, though,” Dom says with a wink, and Elijah just gives him a _look_ and turns away, checking his gown.

“Antonio!” Orlando’s voice cries loudly from behind them, making Elijah jump and glare.

Dom just whirls with a grin and opens his arms wide. “Bassanio!” His lips graze Orlando’s briefly, a hello-kiss with mirth twinkling in their eyes, and Elijah snorts and ignores them.

“Stay away from my man, Bassanio,” Billy comments mildly, and Dom half-turns automatically as Billy’s arm slips around his waist, giving him a squeeze, and a brief peck on the lips from Billy’s painted cupid’s-bow mouth.

“Is everybody ready back here?” Lord Davies’ voice booms, and all of them snap more or less to attention, Elijah whirling and dropping into a half-curtsy with artfully-lowered eyelashes, feigning maidenly modesty.

Lord Davies moves directly to Elijah, raising his hand and kissing it. “Oh, pretty one, you look exceptionally beautiful tonight. I tell you I’ve never seen a more glorious Portia.”

Elijah’s jaw tightens, a warning sign that Dom doubts Lord Davies catches but which he knows all-too-well from hours of rehearsal. “I’m not playing Portia, milord,” he says evenly, almost – but not quite – rebuking. “I’m playing Jessica.”

“I’m Portia,” Billy pipes up from Dom’s side, which should have been obvious to anyone with eyes, Elijah in the dark wig and Billy in the blonde, with by far the finer gown, but Lord Davies’ eyes never leave Elijah.

“Well, I’m sure you’ll play well tonight,” Lord Davies replies, hand reaching out to possessively cup Elijah’s cheek. “And I’ll see you after perhaps, hmm?”

“It would be my pleasure, milord,” Elijah answers softly, all truculence gone from his tone, the very picture of mild-mannered girlish sweetness. Dom would be amazed at how well the tic in Elijah’s jaw is disguised by the syrup in his voice, but then, Elijah _is_ an actor.

“Excellent.” Lord Davies pats Elijah on the cheek, and doesn’t seem to notice the way Elijah’s smile brightens into true falseness while his eyes go chilly and flat. “Tonight, then.” Lord Davies takes his leave with a booming, “Play well, gentlemen!” and they all murmur some sort of acknowledgement, waiting until he rounds the corner before they relax again.

“I don’t see why you suck up to him,” Dom remarks, and Elijah’s lips purse sourly, jaw setting as he turns back to the mirror to fix whatever damage Lord Davies’ meaty hand has done to his make-up.

“He has money,” Elijah replies tightly. “And friends.”

“Still,” Dom begins, but bites his tongue and takes an automatic step back when Elijah whirls on him.

“You’d fuck me too if you had the money, so don’t play superior with me,” he snaps, and Dom raises his hands in surrender, mouth open to placate before Elijah’s temper rises enough to affect the performance about to take place.

“He didn’t mean anything, ‘Lijah,” Billy soothes, and Dom’s never been able to figure out how Billy does it, but Elijah calms instantly, staring at Dom for another moment before turning away.

“Have you ever been with Lord Davies _and_ his friends?” Orlando asks curiously, and Dom and Billy wince in tandem at his complete lack of sensitivity. Orlando is well-loved by nearly everyone in the theatre, but he isn’t known for tact.

Luckily, Elijah takes things from Orlando that he would never take from Dom or even Billy, for that very reason. “A couple of times,” he answers, finally appearing satisfied with both make-up and costume. “Not generally. He’s not overly fond of sharing.”

“I wouldn’t be either,” Dom says without thinking, and he immediately wants to take it back, but Elijah just looks up at him, startled, and finally grants him a small smile.

Billy exhales softly, and Dom knows they’re both thinking the same thing; tonight’s performance just got a great deal easier.

“Let’s tread the boards, gentlemen,” Billy suggests with a final squeeze of his arm around Dom’s waist. “It’s time for curtain.”


End file.
